After spending several days on Fish-Man Island, Claudius and his party successfully concluded their mission for the World Governnt. Whitebeard's flag could no longer be raised, and Neptune and the others understood the stakes.
If the Fish-Man Island royals dared to defy this arrangent, the consequences would be catastrophic. Not only would the Five Elders lose their patience, but Claudius himself would not tolerate being made a fool of.
If such a situation arose again, Claudius jokingly thought to himself that he might destroy the entire Fish-Man Island in retaliation. He could even uproot Eve itself to use its wood for shipbuilding.
Of course, this was just an exaggerated thought. Neptune and Princess Otohi were certainly not foolish enough to push things that far.
During their stay, Claudius finally saw Shirahoshi. Though she was just a newborn, her imnse size was astonishing. Shirahoshi was absolutely adorable, to the point of being overwhelmingly charming.
In the future, two individuals would be widely regarded as the most beautiful won in the world. One of them was Boa Hancock, whose beauty captivated countless hearts. However, despite her fa, Hancock's beauty would only be acknowledged unofficially, revered among pirates and civilians alike but never formally recognized.
The other was Shirahoshi, who was considered the world's most beautiful woman with official recognition.
When comparing the two, Claudius leaned toward Hancock. While Shirahoshi was indeed stunning, her appeal leaned more toward innocence and cuteness, with her status as the rmaid Princess adding significant weight to her reputation.
Hancock, on the other hand, relied solely on her extraordinary looks to command attention. If beauty alone could determine rank, Hancock's presence was on par with that of a Marine Fleet Admiral.
As the Protheus descended from Fish-Man Island back to the sea's surface, Claudius found himself marveling at the beauty of the deep-sea landscape. Unlike the trip down, which had been occupied with conversations with Sengoku, this ti Claudius took the opportunity to appreciate the underwater world.
Both Lenny and ro remained behind on Fish-Man Island. Claudius ensured they were well-funded, leaving behind significant resources to support their new life. He even spoke with Neptune, requesting the king to look after the two won.
For Neptune, this was an opportunity to gather more insight into Claudius. Were the rumors of his goodwill genuine? Was this Celestial Dragon soone they could trust? With these questions in mind, Neptune readily agreed to Claudius's request.
On Sengoku's side, plans were already underway. Upon his return to Marineford, he would begin preparations to station Marines on Fish-Man Island, further centing the new arrangent.
As the Protheus moved through the depths, Hancock leaned against the railing, her eyes wide with excitent as she spotted a massive, glowing anglerfish in the distance. "What is that? It's so big!" she exclaid.
Claudius smiled at her enthusiasm. "That's a lantern fish. They're huge, and I've heard they even prey on Sea Kings. But... well, they are pretty ugly, aren't they?"
Hancock nodded quickly. "Yes, it's so ugly! It looks like it's from so horror story!"
Robin, standing quietly nearby, comnted in a calm tone, "I think it's kind of... charming."
Claudius turned toward her, amused. Over ti, he'd realized that Robin's unusual aesthetic preferences weren't born from trauma or hardship but were simply an intrinsic part of her personality.
It was the sa Robin who had adopted Saul's odd "chuck-he-he" laugh back when she was a child. Even as Claudius reflected on her quirks, he couldn't help but wonder about Saul. The giant Vice Admiral with such a promising future—wasn't he locked away in Impel Down?
Shaking the thought from his mind, Claudius asked Robin, "Did you find anything interesting on Fish-Man Island? Sothing that caught your attention?"
Robin turned to him, her gaze thoughtful. "Yes, I found it fascinating. The culture there is so distinct from the surface world. I also bought a lot of books."
Hearing this, Claudius smiled warmly. "Books, huh? That sounds like you, Robin. Did you spend a fortune?"
Robin hesitated for a mont before admitting, "I might have gone a little overboard... It cost quite a bit."
Claudius chuckled. "How much could books possibly cost? Don't worry about it. How much did you spend?"
Robin hesitated again before sheepishly responding, "About... a billion berries."
Claudius froze, nearly falling over the railing. "What?! A billion berries? You spent that much on books? Did you buy a library or sothing? Or was it... was it the Poneglyph?!"
Robin flinched at his outburst, her face filled with embarrassnt. "Many of the books were original manuscripts, so of them centuries old. Others were rare editions thought to have been lost to ti. Knowledge is priceless, isn't it? You always say that, Your Highness. Books are the ladder of human progress, and knowledge is the most valuable treasure."
Hearing her justification, Claudius laughed, shaking his head. "Alright, fine. I suppose I did say that."
Robin sighed in relief, her tension easing as she smiled. "I've already placed them in the ship's library, but it still feels so empty. Your library is too big."
Claudius nodded, a spark of pride lighting his eyes. "One day, Robin, we'll fill that library together. Every book will represent a journey, an adventure. The Protheus will truly live up to its na—the ship of wisdom."
Robin didn't reply right away. Instead, she gazed at him for a mont before asking, "The ship of wisdom?"
"Yes," Claudius replied confidently. "The Protheus isn't just a ship; it's a vessel of knowledge, discovery, and understanding."
Robin hesitated, then added, "While we were on Fish-Man Island... I visited the Sea Forest."
Claudius raised an eyebrow. "The Sea Forest? That's the place with the Poneglyph, isn't it?"
Robin nodded, her expression suddenly uncertain. "I had soone move the Poneglyph to the ship's library."
"What?!" Claudius nearly choked on his words. "You moved the Poneglyph?! The Fish-n didn't try to stop you?"
Robin frowned thoughtfully before replying, "No, I don't think they saw it as anything important. It was just lying there in the Sea Forest, like an abandoned relic. No one seed to care."
Claudius groaned and rubbed his forehead, but he couldn't find it in himself to be angry. Ultimately, it was a Poneglyph, a priceless artifact that couldn't be read by just anyone. Its presence aboard the Protheus was both a risk and an opportunity.
"Well, what's done is done," Claudius said with a shrug. "No one can read it anyway, so I doubt it'll cause much trouble."
Robin glanced at him, conflicted. She had considered revealing her ability to read the Poneglyphs but decided against it. "Not yet," she thought to herself. "I'll tell him when the ti is right."
***
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